The team behind ‘Pokémon Go’ is creating a Harry Potter game for smartphones

A “Harry Potter” game is in production for smartphones, made by the same people who created Pokémon Go.It’s the first game from a new studio dedicated to creating games in the “Harry Potter” universe.The game is named “Harry Potter: Wizards Unite,” and it’s described as something very similar to Pokémon Go.

Niantic, the company that makes the hit mobile game “Pokémon Go,” is currently making a smartphone game set in the universe of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter.

“The game will use state-of-the-art AR mobile technology and allow players to go on adventures, learn and cast spells, discover mysterious artifacts, and encounter legendary beasts and iconic characters as they explore real-world neighborhoods and cities across the globe,” the press release reads.

“Harry Potter Wizards Unite” is only described as a “mobile” game; it’s likely to come to both iPhone and Android, as previous Niantic games have. There’s no release date, but it sounds like we’re waiting until at least 2018 – the press release says more information will be shared at some point next year.

Niantic CEO John Hanke teased a bit more information about the game in his personal announcement letter: “‘Harry Potter: Wizards Unite’ will leverage the full stack of the Niantic Platform while also providing an opportunity to pioneer all new technology and gameplay mechanics,” he wrote.

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Pokémon Go uses augmented reality through your phone’s camera.

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Niantic Labs

Given Niantic’s history of making games that use the geolocation and augmented-reality features of smartphones, and the descriptions given, it sounds like “Harry Potter: Wizards Unite” will have players interacting with the real world through their smartphone camera. Perhaps you’ll encounter a famous Romanian Longhorn dragon somewhere in the middle of Manhattan! Who knows.

Niantic is partnering with a new WB Games studio, Portkey Games, to create “Wizards Unite.” The studio is described as “a new games label dedicated to creating video game and mobile experiences inspired by J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World.”

For now, details about the game are scant, but we’ll hear more about it in 2018.